Laundry machine and online system including the same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a home appliance which can communicate with an outside of the home appliance, an online system including the same and a method for using an online system. According to embodiments of the present invention, a home appliance, an online system and a method for using an online system may be provided, each including a WiFi communication module mounted or connected to the home appliance for supporting a setting mode for making communication connection and a use mode for enabling communication, and a particular input unit provided to run the setting mode by user&#39;s selection, wherein the home appliance is changed to the use mode upon reception of SSID (Service Set Identifier; a name of a wireless LAN) information of an access point AP desired to access and user information required for registration of the home appliance through an external terminal after access to the setting mode through the external terminal provided separate from the home appliance.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is a U.S. National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C.§371 of PCT Application No. PCT/KR2012/006034, filed Jul. 27, 2012,which claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0074770,filed Jul. 27, 2011.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a laundry machine, and moreparticularly, to a laundry machine which can perform, not only originalfunctions of the laundry machine, but also additional functions bycommunication with an outside of the laundry machine. The additionalfunctions include extended functions from the original functions of thelaundry machine and include new functions which have no relation to theoriginal functions of the laundry machine. Such a laundry machine may becalled as a smart laundry machine.

The present invention also relates to an online system including thesmart laundry machine, which enables to use the smart laundry machine ata low cost, easily.

The present invention also relates to a smart home appliance in afurther extended mode, and an online system including the same, and amethod for using an online system.

BACKGROUND ART

A washing machine which washes clothes is a typical laundry machine, anda dryer which dries clothes may also be called as the laundry machine.Of course, a washing and drying machine which can wash and dry clothesmay also be called as the laundry machine.

Recently, a refresher which refreshes clothes, not with water, but withhot air or steam, is introduced to marketplaces, and may also be calledas the laundry machine.

Along with this, a dishwasher may also be called as the laundry machine,though the dishwasher does not wash the clothes. Therefore, the laundrymachine in this specification includes all of the different kinds ofmachines described above.

The specification will describe the laundry machine taking a washingmachine as a typical example. The laundry machine is applicable to otherkinds of laundry machine if the laundry machine does not exclude, or incontrary, to the other kind of laundry machine.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a control panel in a related artwashing machine, which is also applicable to the present invention.

The control panel is provided for interfacing with a user. Therefore, ingeneral, the control panel is provided to a front of the washing machinefor user's easy access and operation. The control panel has variousbuttons for user's operation, and may have various display units forproviding information to the user.

A main function of the washing machine is washing. Accordingly, thewashing machine is provided with a course selection unit 110 or a mainfunction selection unit for selecting various washing courses, for theuser to select a course. As an example, the course selection unit 110may be provided in a shape of a rotary knob. In order to make user'scourse selection easy, a course indicating unit 111 may be provided tothe control panel 100, for enabling the user to select a desired washingcourse by handling the course selection unit 110 to match with thecourse indicating unit.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view showing the course indicating unit111 having different washing courses indicated thereon around the rotaryknob 110 so that the user may select a washing course by turning therotary knob 110. In order to indicate washing course selected thus, anindicating unit 121 may be provided, and with reference to this, theuser may notice the washing course selected thus easily. The indicatingunit 121 may be embodied with a flashing LED or the like.

An option selection unit 120 may be provided for adding functions to, orchanging, the main functions. The option selection unit 120 may beprovided in a variety of modes. As an example, FIG. 1 illustrates theoption selection unit 120 which enables to select options related towashing, rinsing, spinning, a water temperature, drying, steam, andscheduled operation. An option indicating unit 122 may also be provided,which may indicate selected the option, embodied with an LED the same asbefore.

The control panel 100 may be provided with a state indicating unit 130for indicating a state of the washing machine. The state indicating unit130 may indicate the present operation state of the washing machine, auser's course or option selection state, information on time, and so on.

For an example, if the washing machine performs a rinsing steppresently, the state indicating unit 130 may indicate“in a rinsingstep”. If the washing machine is waiting for a user's course input, thestate indicating unit 130 may indicate“Please input a washing course”.And, the state indicating unit 130 may indicate the present time, or atime period (A remained time period) until the washing machine carriesout an entire washing course to finish operation.

In the meantime, the control panel 100 may be provided with a powerselection unit 140 for applying or cutting off power to the washingmachine, and a run/pause selection unit 150 for putting the washingmachine into operation or pause.

The control panel 100 described before and the washing machine includingthe same have the following problems.

Besides a configuration for basic user interface, the control panel 100is difficult to embody additional user interface due to a problem from aview point of space. Of course, though a complicate user interface maybe embodied at the control panel 100, the complicate user interface hasa problem in that user's excessive concentration and knowledge onoperation is required. And, since the control panel 100 has difficultyin fabrication and requires a large sized memory, the washing machineitself becomes expensive too much.

Along with this, since the selection units 110 and 120 and theindicating units 111, 121, and 122 have respective functions setalready, extension of the functions are not easy.

And, in general, the washing machine is positioned at a washing roomwhich is not a place the user accesses thereto, frequently. Therefore,the user can not but has much trouble of personally entering in thewashing room and accessing to the washing machine only for using thewashing machine. And, even if different pieces of information areindicated with the indicating units 111, 121, 122, and 130, theindication of information may be meaningless if the user does not accessto the washing machine, personally.

Consequently, it is required to provide a laundry machine which cancarry out, not only the original functions of the laundry machine, butalso the extended functions from the original functions of the laundrymachine or new functions not related to the original functions of thelaundry machine.

Along with this, it is required to provide a laundry machine which canembody the extended functions or the new functions without requiringreplacement or modification of the existing control panel, i.e., withoutchanging hardware of the washing machine.

In the meantime, the problems are not problems limited to the laundrymachine, merely. The problems may be the same even to home appliances,such as refrigerators, ovens, air conditioners, robot cleaners, too.This is because each of the home appliances has a configuration matchingto the control panel of the laundry machine, i.e., a configuration foruser interface. Also, this is because each of the home appliances hasselection units and indicating units matched to the selection units forcarrying out respective original functions of the home appliances, andrequirements for embodying extension of functions and embodying newfunctions are the same with the laundry machine. That is, the extensionof the user interface is difficult even to many of the home appliancesdue to limitations on space or cost.

Accordingly, the specification will be described focused on a washingmachine as a typical example of the home appliances, and may beapplicable to other home appliances as far as the home appliance is notexclusive and contrary to other home appliances.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Technical Problem

To solve the problems, an object of the present invention is to providea home appliance.

An object of the present invention is to provide a home appliance whichcan carry out, not only the original functions of the home appliance,but also functions extended further or new functions by embodiments ofthe present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliancewhich is made to enable to make communication with an outside of thehome appliance for receiving different pieces of information from aserver or an external terminal easily for extending functions of, andconvenient use, of the home appliance by using the information byembodiments of the present invention; and an online system including thesame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliancewhich is made to enable to make communication with an outside of thehome appliance for transmitting different pieces of information on alaundry machine to a server or an external terminal for extendingfunctions of, and convenient use, of the home appliance by using theinformation by embodiments of the present invention; and an onlinesystem including the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliancewhich is made to make easy communication connection to an outside of thehome appliance for convenient use of the home appliance by embodimentsof the present invention; and an online system including the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliancewhich enables a user to notice information on the home appliance easilywithout access to the home appliance personally and to control the homeappliance by embodiments of the present invention; and an online systemincluding the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliancewhich enables to make easy and convenient communication connection ofthe home appliance that has no character input means by embodiments ofthe present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home applianceuse of which is made convenient by enabling communication connection ofthe home appliance that has no display for displaying different piecesof information, and to diversify displayed information by embodiments ofthe present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a home appliance,particularly, a washing machine, which can enhance user satisfaction andreliability by embodiments of the present invention.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an online systemwhich enables to use online service related to a home appliance by usinga server remotely or by using an external terminal easily by embodimentsof the present invention.

Solution to Problem

As embodiments of the present invention, a laundry machine may beprovided which can have remote management service requested through anexternal terminal provided thereto. That is, the laundry machine isprovided, which can request the remote management service, not directly,but through the external terminal, and can have the remote managementservice provided thereto.

The laundry machine may include a main controller, a display provided toreceive user information registered to a user site and user APinformation to be communication connected, and a WiFi communicationmodule for transmitting the user information and the user AP informationreceived at a display to the server or the user site to register thelaundry machine to the server, and maintaining the communicationconnection to the server to have the remote management service requestedfrom the laundry machine through the external terminal communicationconnected to the server after the registration. A display controller forcontrolling the display may be provided separate from the maincontroller, and it is preferable that the WiFi communication module isprovided to the display controller.

To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with thepurpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, anembodiment of the present invention provides a home appliance providedto enable communication with an outside of the home appliance, includinga WiFi communication module for supporting a setting mode for enablingcommunication connection. The home appliance is changed to a use modeupon access to an access point AP desired to access in the setting mode,to enable to make the communication connection to an outside of the homeappliance, especially to a server which provides the remote managementservice, through the AP.

The WiFi communication module may be mounted, or connected, to the homeappliance. A particular input unit may be provided to the home applianceprovided to run the setting mode by user's selection. In a case of thehome appliance, the particular input unit may be provided to the controlpanel. The home appliance may be changed to the use mode upon receptionof SSID (Service Set Identifier; a name of a wireless LAN) informationof the access point AP desired to access and user information requiredfor registration of the home appliance through an external terminalafter access to the setting mode through the external terminal providedseparate from the home appliance.

An embodiment of the present invention may provide an online systemincluding a home appliance provided to enable communication with anoutside of the home appliance, an external terminal, and a server. Thehome appliance may request remote management service for the homeappliance to the server through the home appliance or an externalterminal. In this instance, the home appliance may include a WiFicommunication module for supporting a setting mode and a use mode formaking communication connection.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for using anonline system including the steps of log in a server by inputting userinformation through an external terminal, determining whether the userinformation and home appliance information is registered to the serveraltogether or not after log in, having a product registration methodselected if the product is not registered, proceeding to a fixed addresssite for access to a setting mode of the home appliance if the productregistration method is selected, inputting SSID information of an AP,and registering the user information and the home appliance informationto the server altogether, to make the home appliance to communicate withthe server through the AP, and if the home appliance is registered tothe server already, or registered newly, carrying out at least one ofremote control, remote diagnosis, firmware or software update, andmonitoring of the home appliance through the external terminal.

Upon having the product registration method selected, a web page isdisplayed in a popup window for access to a setting mode, and the SSIDinformation on the AP and the user information are received at the webpage. The information received thus is transmitted to a server forregistering the home appliance to the server through mutualcertification between the home appliance and the server.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an online service systemincluding a server, a home appliance having a setting mode for makingcommunication connection to the server, a WiFi communication module forsupporting a use mode for communication, and an input unit for runningthe setting mode, and an external terminal for changing the onlineservice system to the use mode upon reception of AP SSID information foraccess to the communication module, and user information for registeringthe home appliance to the server after access to the setting mode.

It is preferable that the home appliance includes a display unit fordisplaying at least one of a fixed address for access to the settingmode or WiFi network information of the communication module when thesetting mode is run. By using the fixed address or the WiFi networkinformation, the user can make the external terminal to access to thesetting mode, easily.

Along with this, an embodiment of the present invention provides arecording medium having the method for using an online system storedtherein.

The embodiments described before may be embodied compositely within arange the embodiments are not contrary to, or exclusive from, oneanother.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

An embodiment of the present invention provides a home appliance whichis made to enable to make communication with an outside of the homeappliance for transmitting different pieces of information on a laundrymachine to a server or an external terminal for extending functions of,and convenient use, of the home appliance by using the information; andan online system including the same.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a home appliance whichenables a user to notice information on the home appliance easilywithout access to the home appliance personally and to control the homeappliance; and an online system including the same.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a laundry machine whichcan save a production cost of the laundry machine and enhanceconvenience of use by a function of the laundry machine that can beembodied though an external terminal by a user; and an online systemincluding the same.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a home appliance,particularly, a washing machine, which can enhance user satisfaction andreliability by embodiments of the present invention.

An embodiment of the present invention provides an online system whichenables to use online service related to a home appliance by using aserver remotely or by using an external terminal, easily.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide furtherunderstanding of the disclosure and are incorporated in and constitute apart of this application, illustrate embodiments of the disclosure andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of thedisclosure.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of a control panel of a laundrymachine which is an example of a home appliance.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of an entire configuration in whichservers, home appliances, and external terminals are interrelated, whichmay be embodied by an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram showing a mode of an embodiment inwhich a DM client is mounted to a display board of a home appliance.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a configurationand a procedure of signup and activation.

FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a procedure ofdownloading an application from an external terminal, and aconfiguration and a procedure for a user to request a managementservice.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a configurationand a procedure on firmware or software upgrade.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a configurationand a procedure on software management service.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a configurationand a procedure on remote control service.

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a configurationand a procedure on diagnosing or monitoring management service.

FIG. 10 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of a configurationand a procedure on communication connection of a home appliance.

FIG. 11 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of an initial frameof an indicating unit in a home appliance.

FIG. 12 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame in a WiFisetting mode.

FIG. 13 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of anexternal terminal at the time the external terminal access to a settingmode.

FIG. 14 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance at the time an external terminal accessto a setting mode.

FIG. 15 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance at the time a setting mode is finished.

FIG. 16 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of an initial frameof an external terminal for remote management of a home appliancethrough the external terminal.

FIG. 17 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a log-in frame ofan external terminal.

FIG. 18 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame in a casea home appliance is not registered to a server.

FIG. 19 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frameindicating a turned on state of power to a home appliance.

FIG. 20 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frameindicating a turned off state of power to a home appliance.

FIG. 21 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frameindicating a case of a scheduled operation.

FIG. 22 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance matching to FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame forchanging a scheduled operation.

FIG. 24 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance after change of a scheduled operation.

FIG. 25 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame displayedat an external terminal during operation of a home appliance.

FIG. 26 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance matching to FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance after selection of crumple preventionat a frame shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 28 illustrates a diagram showing a frame of a display unit in ahome appliance at the time of operation finish.

FIG. 29 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame of adisplay unit in a home appliance at the time a crumple preventionfunction is carried out.

FIG. 30 illustrates a diagram showing an embodiment of a frame providinga state of a home appliance to an external terminal in a push message.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the specific embodiments of thepresent invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be usedthroughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of an embodiment of an online systemwhich can embody the present invention, showing an entire configurationin which home appliances in a home are communication connected to, andmanaged by, a server.

In order to carry out remote management service, a server 10 is requiredfor managing all of the home appliances to be managed. The homeappliances 20 and 21 to be managed are communication connected to theserver for carrying out an order transmitted from the server 10. Aservice request may be received at the server through the home appliance20. Moreover, in order to receive the service request from the userthrough means other than the home appliance, separate means, such as anInternet site (Hereafter“User site”, See FIG. 4), an external terminalor a user terminal 40, may be provided. Detail examples of the remotemanagement service will be described, later.

In this instance, the external terminal or the user terminal 40 is adevice provided separate from the home appliances or the server, such asa cellular phone, a smart phone, a notebook, and a computer having acommunication module to enable communication with an outside of thedevice.

An enterpriser who carries out management of the home appliances canprovide the remote management service by constructing the server. And,if required, the enterpriser may construct the user site describedabove.

The user may have the remote management service by purchasing a product20 which can have the remote management service provided by the server10. The product may be provided with a communication module forcommunication with the server 10 and a client side protocol for carryingout the order from the server. In the meantime, for an existing productwhich can not have the management service provided by the server, aseparate device having the communication module and the client sideprotocol may be used. By purchasing and connecting the separate deviceto the existing product, the existing product may have the remotemanagement service provided thereto.

The product 20 intended to have the remote management service from theserver 10 may register a unique device ID of the product 20 to theserver 10 for management by the server 10.

If an access is made from the home appliance 20 to the server 10, theserver can identify the home appliance with the device ID. The servermay have characteristic information (For an example, a kind of theproduct, model information, and so on) on the home appliance registeredthereto together with the device ID. In this instance, though the deviceID may be made without relation to the characteristic information on theproduct, such as the kind of the product, and the model information, thedevice ID may be encoded together with the characteristic information onthe product. Accordingly, the server 10 may also be made to perceive thekind of the product or the model information on the product only withthe device ID.

The user may have the remote management service for the home appliances20 registered to the server 10 provided thereto upon request a serviceto the server 10 through the home appliances. For an example, if theuser selects and inputs a desired service to a display window (Displayunit) in a refrigerator 21, the refrigerator 21 can request the serviceto the server 10.

In the meantime, in many cases, the home appliances, such as therefrigerator, a cleaner, the oven, the air conditioner, and a waterpurifier, do not always position adjacent to the user. Therefore, aservice request to the server through the home appliances 20 may not beeasy. Moreover, in many cases, the home appliances may not have deviceswhich can receive or display different pieces of information providedthereto. Accordingly, the service may be requested to the server throughan external terminal 40 the user always carries, such as the smartphone. For this, an application may be installed to the externalterminal 40 for embodying the service. Since the external terminal 40,such as the smart phone, has devices provided thereto for receiving ordisplaying the different information, the request for service can bemade, very conveniently.

And, though it will be described later, remote management, remotecontrol, monitoring, and diagnosis of the home appliances may be madethrough the application. Those functions are one example of the remotemanagement service described before.

In this case, the external terminal 40 communicates with the server 10directly, and the server 10 communicates with the home appliances 21 and22. With this, the user can request the remote management servicethrough the external terminal 40, and can also notice information oncarrying out and finish of the service, easily.

However, in order to request, and carrying out, the service, it isrequired to specify relations among the user's external terminal 40, thehome appliance 20 service for which is desired, and the server 10. Thatis, if the user accesses to the server 10 through the home appliance 20,though a service object can be specified to the server as the access ismade through the ID of the home appliance at the time of the access, ifthe access is made not through the home appliance 20, it may be requiredto determine how to specify a service objective home appliance.

As an example, the user may access to the user site (See FIG. 4), inputsthe device ID of the home appliance desired to have the service providethereto, and requests the service. However, in this case, the user hasinconvenience of recollecting entire device IDs of the home appliancesthe user has.

The user site may be made to resolve such inconvenience. The user maysignup to the user site and have a user ID and a password given to theuser. The user may log-in the user site and register all the homeappliances the user owns thereto. The home appliances registered to theuser site may be registered to the server together with the user ID.This may be done by automatic transmission of the user ID and the deviceIDs matched to the user ID from the user site to the server. With abovesteps, the server may have user information on the user, and homeappliance information on the home appliances stored therein. Of course,the user information and the home appliance information is stored in theserver matched to each other.

In the meantime, the user may signup to the user site with anapplication installed to the external terminal 40 to have the user IDand the password given to the user. Of course, the user may registerentire home appliances the user has with this. The application may beprovided for the remote management service of a particular homeappliance, or may be provided for the remote management service of aplurality of the home appliances, detail of which will be describedlater.

Moreover, the registration of the home appliances 20 to the server 10described before may also be made with an activation procedure to bedescribed later.

In any case, if the user has the ID issued thereto, the ID may beregistered to, and managed by, the server 10, together with the homeappliance information of the user, i.e., unique information on products,such as the device IDs.

The service received from the user through the user site, the externalterminal 40, or the home appliance 20 may be carried out as a managergives an order to the server 10 on the management service. Or, by directcommunication with the server through an open API of the server, theuser site, the external terminal, or the home appliance 20 may makemanagement request to the server, directly.

The server 10 has a server side protocol provided thereto for themanagement service, wherein the server side protocol carries out themanagement service request thus in interrelation with a server sideprotocol of the product.

As a protocol for carrying out the management service between the server10 and the home appliance 20, an OMA DM (Open Mobile Alliance DeviceManagement) protocol may be used. Therefore, if the OMA DM protocol isused, it may be said that the server side is a DM server, and the homeappliance side is a DM client. Of course, not the OMA DM, but othersolution may be used. Though the embodiment suggests using the OMA DMprotocol, the present invention is not limited to this.

The management service may have the following management details.

Bootstrap: In order to carry out an initial management session, the DMclient needs certification information from the DM server, and networksetting information for connection to the network. A step for above iscalled as Bootstrap.

Provisioning: The home appliance which carries out the managementsession initially is registered to the DM server with the Bootstrap, andconfiguration of the home appliance is updated for providing the serviceto the home appliance. A step for above is called as Provisioning.

Configuration Management: Management work for referring to, changinghome appliance related setting information, or setting, referring to, orchanging service related information is called as Device configurationmanagement.

Control Management: Management work for controlling the home applianceis called as Control Management.

User Alert: By providing an alert signal to the DM client, the DM servermay inform detail of the management work to the user, or obtainpermission from the user. That is, by interaction with the user, theserver can provide improved management work.

Diagnostic and Monitoring: During the user uses the home appliance, thehome appliance may cause poor performance or malfunction. The server isrequired to perceive, or able to perceive, such a state in advance, andprovide a secure product use environment to the user by taking an actionproper to the state perceived thus. Such work is called as diagnosticand monitoring.

Firmware Update Management: Management work carried out in a case atrouble, a functional change, or updating of firmware takes place at ahome appliance after sold by a manufacturer.

Software Component Management: Management work carried out forinstalling, updating, or erasing a software component from the homeappliance.

Backup and Restore Management: Management work carried out forbacking-up/restoring data on the home appliance to the DM server.

In the meantime, the server 10 may be installed distributed to manyplaces. For an example, a server 1 may be installed in Korea and aserver 2 may be installed in the USA.

And, the server may be separated into a plurality of servers accordingto services of the servers. FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic view of anexample of the server 10 separated into a DM server, a Notify server, aDL server, an ONM server, and a Legacy server. Thus, if the server isseparated according to services of the servers, when a particularservice is carried out, the DM server may prepare for, or carry outother service. Accordingly, a plurality of services may be processed ata time.

In carrying out services, the servers may access to respective serviceobjects to carry out respective services, directly.

Some of the servers may be made to be able to access to serviceobjective home appliances, directly. For an example, the notify servercan transmit a notice to the service objective home appliance directly,and the DL server can transmit upgraded firmware to the serviceobjective home appliance, directly.

The server 10 may have a configuration varied with detail of themanagement service. For an example, if the detail of the managementservice is the firmware update only, since the service can be made bythe DM server, the notify server, and the DL server, the other serversmay not be necessary. And, if it is arranged that the service is carriedout without a notification procedure on the firmware update to the user,the notify server may not be necessary.

Though the embodiment suggests a configuration of the server as shown inFIG. 2 as an example, taking the firmware update, the software(Inclusive of different contents) management, the home appliancediagnosis, the home appliance monitoring, refrigerator expiry datenotification, refrigerator food list provision, washing course upgradeinto account, the present invention is not limited to the configurationof the server as shown in FIG. 2.

A configuration and a communication environment of each of onlinesystems will be described in more detail. All of the following detailsmay not be essential ones to be provided without fail. And, there may beconfigurations added to the following contents by description made onother portions of the specification.

(1) The Server may have the following configuration.

1) DM Server

The DM Server provides a service of giving a management order to the DMclient. That is, by means of the management order, the DM Serverprovides a management function of processing firmware update (Modemfirmware/OS) management work, software management work, diagnosticmanagement work, and so on, remotely. The DM Server may include aSession Management region, a Security Management region, a DM ProtocolProcess region, and a SyncML Protocol Engine region.

2) DL Server

The DL server transmits a file to the DL client. That is, the DL serverprovides a function in which the DL server transmits information on thefile intended to transmit through a DD (Download Descriptor), for the DLclient to download the file, exactly. In this instance, the DL client isthe home appliance which downloads the file. In the files downloadedthus, there are a firmware update package and a software managementpackage. The DL server may include a Session Management region, aPackage Management region, and a Download region.

3) ONM Server or User Portal

The ONM Server provides a service of interfacing with the DM or DL andthe Legacy servers, and embodying a business logic. The manager may givea management order, or refer to management information, through amanagement web page of the ONM Server.

The User Portal provides some of the functions of the ONM Server to theuser. In this instance, the functions of the ONM Server are embodiedthrough the open API of the DM Server. The user may request themanagement service to the DM Server through the user portal.

4) Legacy Server

Representative Legacy Servers the ONM Server is operated interrelatedthereto are a server having terminal information transmitted thereto anda server having user information transmitted thereto. That is, thelegacy server transmits the user information or the home applianceinformation to the ONM Server for providing information to embody thebusiness logic.

5) Notification Server

The notification server transmits a notification message from the DMserver to the home appliance. The notification server may include aSession Generation region, and a Schedule Management region.

If the home appliance is in a private network, in order to maintainconnection to the home appliance, a Connection Manager may be requiredspecially provided to a server side. The home appliance may request aTCP connection after booted automatically, and the connection managermaintains the TCP connection requested thus. The DM Server transmits thenotification message through this.

6) Open API

An application at a mobile communication terminal, such as a smartphone, may manage the home appliances through the open API provided bythe DM Server, remotely. The Open API will be described, later.

(2) The home appliance may include the following configuration.

1) Communication Module

The home appliance has the communication module mounted thereto. Kindsof the communication module are not limited. The communication modulemay be a wired communication module or a wireless communication module.

As an example, the communication module may be a communication modulefrom which WiFi is available, or communication module from which PLCcommunication or Zigbee available.

2) DM Client

The DM client provides a main service of carrying out the managementorder from the DM Server. That is, in response to the management orderfrom the DM Server, the DM client provides the management functions ofprocessing the firmware update management work, the software managementwork, the diagnosis management work, and the control management work,remotely.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram showing an example in which the DMclient is mounted to the home appliance. In a case of the home appliancehaving a TFT display provided thereto, the DM client may be mounted to acircuit board (Display board) of the TFT. The main board in FIG. 3 is acircuit board for carrying out an original function of the homeappliance. For an example, in general, the washing machine may have amain controller provided to a main board for controlling a water supplyvalve, and a motor connected to a drum for carrying out washing.

Though the DM client may be mounted to the main board of the homeappliance, it is favorable that the DM client is mounted to a displayboard because a display window may be used more frequently forrequesting the management service.

3) DL Client

The DL client provides main service of downloading a package file(Firmware update package, Software management package, and so on) fromthe DL server. The DL client receives a download server URL from the DMclient, accesses to a download server, takes a DD (Download Descriptor)from the download server, and carries out the download.

4) Agent

The agent provides a service of carrying out a management service orderrequested from the home appliance according to detail of the managementservice. For an example, an update agent provides a service of producingnew firmware by using an update package downloaded for firmwareupdating. The update agent may be embodied in a variety of modes bymanufacturers.

5) Bootstrap

The home appliance may include bootstrap information, which will bedescribed in detail in a bootstrap procedure to be described, later.

6) Daemon

The Daemon may provide a service of processing the home appliance makingperiodic access to the server. It is preferable that the Daemon alwaysmaintains a turn on state as far as the home appliance does not have apower cord unplugged therefrom. For an example, even if power to thewashing machine is in a turn off state, as far as the power cord of thewashing machine is connected to a socket thereof, the Daemon can alwaysmaintain the turn on state. If it is necessary to turn on the power tothe washing machine by request from the server, the Daemon can transmitan order to the main board to turn on the power.

7) UI (User Interface)

There may be a case permission from the user is required for carryingout the management service, and a case the user requests the managementservice through the home appliance. As the user interface, a TFT LCDwindow of the home appliance may be used. Especially, the user interfacemay be provided to a touch LCD or an LCD display. A display screen maybe provided to have a frame of the management service popped-up thereon.Such a management service frame may be provided to input the user ID andthe password thereto. In this instance, the user ID and the password maybe the user ID and the password given at the time of signup to the usersite. A server system can identify the user with the user ID and thepassword. At the time a service is requested through a terminal, theterminal may transmit the user ID and the password, the device ID, andservice requesting information to the server.

However, the user interface is not provided to all the home appliances.This is because embodying interface for the management service inaddition to the user interface required for carrying out an originalfunction of the home appliance may require large expense and space.

For an example, embodying character or the like input means, or adisplay unit for displaying a large amount of information, may not beeasy for the home appliance, such as the laundry machine, the airconditioner, the cleaner, the oven, and so on.

Therefore, in order to carry out the management service of the homeappliance, an external terminal, such as the smart phone, may berequired. This is because the external terminal, such as the smartphone, has the communication module, a memory, OS, the input means, anddisplay unit for itself. Recently, the external terminal with the touchLCD or LED has come into wide use. Therefore, a limitation on the userinterface the home appliance has may be supplemented or extended by theexternal terminal. A detailed example will be described, later.

(3) A communication environment between the home appliances and theserver will be described.

Basically, as far as suitable for carrying out the management service,kinds of the communication environment do not matter.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic showing an example in which the homeappliance having a wireless Internet communication module appliedthereto communicates with the server 10 through an AP (Access Point) andthe Internet network.

Upon reviewing a communication path starting from the home appliance 20to the server 10, the communication path after the AP is a publicInternet network, and the communication path before the AP is a privateInternet network. The home appliances 21 and 22 are given private IPsfrom the AP 30 respectively, and the AP 30 itself has a unique IP.

The server 10 also has an IP, which may be a unique IP. Therefore, it ispreferable that the communication module of the home appliance, for anexample, a WiFi communication module, has the unique IP of the server.The home appliance may access to the IP of the server through theBootstrap described before to make communication between the two.

Then, in order to make the server 10 to know a position of the homeappliance 20 for the server 10 to track the position of the homeappliance 20, the DM client may keep providing signal to the DM Server.The AP 30 transmits port information the home appliance is connectedthereto and the unique IP information of the AP 30 itself to the DMServer, by using the information, the DM Server becomes to know theposition of the DM client. Of course, it may be viable that the homeappliance may also transmit information on the AP 30, and the portinformation connected to the AP 30 to the server 10 through the AP.Accordingly, if the home appliance 20 transmits the device IDinformation together with above information to the server, the serversystem becomes to know which home appliance is at which position, andcan access to the home appliance by using the information. In thisinstance, the user ID and the password may also be transmitted togetherwith above information.

Eventually, the server 10 becomes to know the position of a particularhome appliance 20 of a particular user. Therefore, if a particularmanagement service is requested to the server through the home applianceor the external terminal of the user, the server can determine theparticular home appliance and carry out the particular managementservice, easily.

(4) Admin Portal

Though the Admin Portal is not positively required, the Admin Portalenables the manager to carry out the management work, effectively. Foran example, in a case of the firmware update, a manager who updates andregisters the firmware and a manager who inspects the firmware updatefile registered thus may cooperate with each other through the AdminPortal. The Admin Portal may include a Firmware Upgrade Process region,a Software Upgrade Process region, a Device Management region, a SystemAdmin region, and a Statistics region.

Detail and procedure of the management service will be described.

(1) Signup and the Home Appliance Activation.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the signup and activation.

As described before, if the user accesses to, and signs up the user site60, the user may be given the user ID and the password.

The Home Appliance Activation may be a procedure for registering theuser's home appliance to the server 10. A display screen of the homeappliance may have a window which enables the user to input the user ID,the password, and so on pops up. The user may carry out the activationprocedure through the window. When the user inputs the user ID, and thepassword to the window, and inputs an activation order, the homeappliance transmits the user ID, the password, the device ID, and thecharacteristic information of the home appliance to the user site 60. Inthis instance, the home appliance 20 may have the user ID, and thepassword inputted thus stored therein. According to this, the user ID,and the password may be used for certification of the user.

The device ID may have been inputted to the home appliance already, oris generated within the home appliance automatically when the activationprocedure is carried out. Or, it is possible to make the home applianceto generate the device ID automatically when the home appliance is newlybought and turned on for the first time.

As the characteristic information on the home appliance, there may bemodel information, a product code, a manufactured date, a manufacturedproduct number, and so on of the home appliance.

And, in the activation procedure, the home appliance may transmit thepassword of the home appliance, a service URL, a server ID and password.Of the information transmitted to the user site 60 in the activationprocedure, the information excluding the user ID, and the password maybe generated at the home appliance 20 automatically, or in an alreadyinputted state inputted.

In the activation procedure, the information described before may bereceived at the user site 60 from the home appliance 20. The user siteregisters the home appliance at the user ID. According to this, the usersite may have the home appliances 20 the user uses registered at eachuser ID.

Then, the user site 60 transmits the user ID, the password, the deviceID, the characteristic information on the home appliance to the server10. In this instance, the ID and the password of the server may betransmitted, altogether.

The server 10 carries out certification on the information transmittedthus at first. Accordingly, when the certification is passed, the userID, the password, the device ID, and the characteristic information ofthe product are registered to the server. In this instance, the devicepassword may also be transmitted, altogether.

The activation procedure may be made regardless of place if a state of acommunication environment is provided, in which access to the server andthe user site is possible. For an example, a seller from whom you havebought a product may carry out the activation procedure for you.

(2) User's Service Request

The user may request the service at a display screen of the homeappliance intended to have the service provided thereto. For an example,after making a frame of the desired service to pop up on the displayscreen of the home appliance 20, the service request may be made afterinputting the user ID and the password. In this instance, the homeappliance may transmit the user ID, and the password, together withinformation on the service request.

Moreover, the user may request the desired service through the user site60, too. The user site may have a web page provided thereto for the userto request the management service thereto, and the user may also requestthe desired management service at the web page. Upon reception of theservice request from the user, the user site may transmit information onthe service request to the server system. In this instance, the user ID,the password, and the device ID may be transmitted, altogether.

Moreover, the user may call a client call center to make the servicerequest. The client call center may be made to receive the managementservice with an ARS system.

In the meantime, the service request may be made through the mobilecommunication terminal (The external terminal), such as the smart phone.FIG. 5A illustrates a block diagram showing an example in which a smartphone application is downloaded for having the management service. FIG.5B illustrates a diagram showing an example in which the service requestis made through the smart phone, the client call center, or the homeappliance.

In a case the service request is made through the smart phone, afterputting the management service application installed at the smart phoneinto operation, the user may input the user ID, and the password, andthen, may request the service. The smart phone may transmit informationon the service request to the server system for requesting the service,together with the user ID, the password, and the device ID.

Upon requesting the remote management service for the home appliance tothe DM Server with different methods describe above, the DM Servercarries out the remote management service for the home appliance. Uponfinishing the remote management service, the home appliance informsfinishing of the service to the DM Server. In a case the service requestis made not from the home appliance, but from the external terminal orthe like, the DM Server informs finishing of the service to the externalterminal.

Accordingly, the user can request the remote management service of thehome appliance and notice a result of the request through the externalterminal directly, without passing through the home appliance.

(3) Firmware Update

The Firmware Update is a service provided by a manufacturer for updatingan error taken place in product development or a firmware improvement.The Firmware Update may be generated by an update package generator ofthe manufacturer, and the update package generated thus is transmittedto relevant products through the DM/DL clients.

The update package transmitted to the product thus may be stored at areserved address of a designated flash memory, and, in this instance, asize of the update package may be limited by the manufacturer or theenterpriser.

FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram showing a service procedure for updatingthe firmware update package. The procedure will be described withreference to FIG. 6.

1. Generate Update Package: If a matter to change the firmware takesplace, the manufacturer generates new firmware. An update package isgenerated, which has a difference between the new firmware and thefirmware of the present version written thereon.

2. Register Update Package: The manufacturer register the Update Packagegenerated thus to a system of the enterpriser.

3. Request for Test: The Update Package registered thus is subjected toa test procedure of the manufacturer before transmission to the homeappliance.

4. Request for Distribution: The Update Package passed through the testis registered to the DL server for distribution to the home appliances.

5. Request for Notification: The DM Server request transmission of anotification message for carrying out registered work.

6. Transmission of the Notification Message: The notification message istransmitted to the home appliance.

7. Request for Downloading, and Installation of the Update Package: Thehome appliance having the Update Package downloaded thereon isre-started. (Depending on cases, the update may be made before there-start).

8. Firmware Update: Update of the home appliance is carried out by usingUA.

9. Notification of a Result of the Firmware Update: The home appliancenotifies the DM server of a result of the Firmware Update.

The DM client of the home appliance is interrelated to the DM Server byusing the OMA DM protocol, and the Firmware Update is made by the DMclient and an FUMO Agent in interrelation to each other.

Starting main bodies of the firmware update procedure are the DM Serverand the user, and a DM session mode can support bothBackground/Foreground.

In a case the DM Server starts the firmware update procedure, uponreceiving a notification message from the DM Server, the DM client canstart. In this instance, downloading and updating may be carried out ata time. That is, right after downloading the update package, updaterunning (FUMO Node: Down-loadAndUpdate) may be carried out through theUA.

In a case the user starts firmware update procedure, the user can inputto carry out the update running (FUMO Node: DownloadAndUpdate) through amenu item on a display screen of the home appliance.

(4) Software Management

The software management is management work of addition, updating, anderasure of software. User software may be installed at a file systemregion (including internal/external memory) of the terminal.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diagram showing a procedure for software managementby using which a Push type service is available. The procedure shown inFIG. 7 will be described.

1. Software Management Package Generation: A software manufacturerdevelops software and generates a management (Distribution) package inconformity with a relevant OS.

2. Management Package Registration: The software manufacturer registersthe management package generated thus to the server.

3. Test Request: The management package generated thus is tested.

4. Distribution Request: Distribution of the management package havingfinished the test thus is requested.

5. Notification Request: The DM server request transmission of anotification message for carrying out registered work.

6. Notification Message Transmission: The notification message istransmitted to the terminal.

7. Request for Management Package Download and Installation: The DMServer makes management package download and installation request to theDM or DL client.

8. Management Package Work: Installation of the management packagedownloaded thus is requested to an Installer of a relevant OS at adesired option by an SCoMO Agent, and the relevant OS Installerinstalls/updates the management package at the user file system region.

9. Management Work Result Notification: The DM client at the terminalnotifies the DM Server of a result of the management work.

The DM client at the terminal and the DM Server are interrelated to eachother by the OMA DM protocol, and the DM client at the terminal managesthe software in inter-relation with the SCoMO Agent to each other.

A starting main body of the software management procedure may be the DMServer, and the DM session mode can support both Background/Foreground.By receiving a Notification Message from the DM Server, the terminal maymake the DM client to start. In this instance too, both the download andthe update may be carried out at a time. That is, right afterdownloading the management package file, the management work (SCoMONode: DownloadInstallInactive or DownloadInstall) is made to be carriedout through the SCoMO Agent.

(5) Home Appliance Control Management (Product Control)

A product can be controlled, remotely. The control management may bestarted by the DM Server, and may be operated in a Background.Therefore, interaction with the user through an MMI and occurrence of aninterrupt may not be taken into account.

In a case of the refrigerator, a refrigerating chamber temperature, afreezing chamber temperature, a convertible room temperature or mode(Frozen food mode, Meat mode, Vegetable mode and so on), Expressfreezing (Including turning on/off), refrigerating chamber operationmode control (General mode, Test mode, LQC mode, display mode, smartdiagnosis mode, and so on), and dispenser control (Fragmented ice mode,water mode, cubic ice mode, and so on) may be control items.

In a case of the washing machine, power turn on/off, putting intooperation, operation turn off and so on may be control items. Along withthis, a scheduled operation change, and a washing course detailed optionchange may also be the control items. Moreover, controlling the crumplepreventive function to be carried out after finishing the washing courseis also possible. Such control management may be made through the DMServer via the open API by using a smart phone application.

FIG. 8 illustrates a diagram showing a control management procedure,which will be described in detail.

1. Referring to control items/Request for Running: The manager (Or theuser) requests work of the referring to control items/request forrunning to the ONM server by using a management frame on the ONM server.

2. Work Registration and Notification Request: The ONM server requeststhe control/operation work and notification of the same to the homeappliance by means of a Notification message to the DM Server.

3. Notification Request: The DM Server requests the Notify server tonotify a product.

4. Notification Message Transmission: The notify server transmits anotification message to the home appliance.

5. Carrying out Control Work: The home appliance receives thenotification message from the DM Server, accesses to the DM Server, andcarries out the control work.

The DM client at the home appliance interrelates to the DM Server byusing the OMA DM protocol to each other, and the control is managed bythe DM client at the home appliance and the control Agent ininterrelation with each other.

A start main body of the control management may be the DM Server, andthe DM session mode may be a Background. The DM Client starts thecontrol management upon reception of the Notification Message from theDM Server.

(6) Diagnosis

The diagnosis is a service for diagnosing the home appliance. For anexample, when it appears that the washing machine has a problem ofhaving gone wrong, the user may request the diagnosis service. Uponreception of a diagnosis order, the washing machine puts a diagnosisprogram into operation to collect data required for the diagnosis.

The home appliance may collect event data or log data during normaloperation. The data may be utilized as the diagnosis data. That is,collection of the diagnosis data can be made even if there is nodiagnosis request. For an example, if an event takes place, in which thedrum of the washing machine does not rotate, such an event data may berecorded and conserved. According to this, if there is the diagnosisrequest, the washing machine may drive the diagnosis program togetherwith the data collected and recorded thus and may transmit a result ofthe drive to the server system, together with the collected data.

In a case of the washing machine, the diagnosis data may include a motornet acting ratio, a power data loaded on the washing machine, a tub ordrum inside temperature data, a data on operation of a water supplyvalve, a data on operation of a drain valve, and so on.

And, in a case of the refrigerator, the diagnosis data may include adata on operation of a cooling fan, a refrigerating chamber or freezingchamber temperature data, a data on operation of a compressor, a data onoperation of different valves, such as an expansion valve, a data onoperation of an ice maker, and so on.

Along with this, the diagnosis data may include a data on operation ofthe display unit or the input unit which fall under the user interface,and a data on operation of a water level sensor (In a case of thewashing machine), and different temperature sensors (For an example, asensor for sensing a tub inside temperature of the washing machine, anda temperature sensor in the refrigerating chamber or the freezingchamber of the refrigerator).

The diagnosis data may include information on an order run time period,and a data produced time. The diagnosis data may be transmitted to theserver, and the server may start an analysis program to provide a resultof diagnosis.

The diagnosis request may be made through the smart phone, or accessfrom the client center to the server system upon user's request to theclient center. And, if an error takes place at the home appliance, asthe error information is transmitted to the server, the diagnosis may bemade.

The open API interface for the diagnosis may be designed to provide astart interface only. According to this, interruption after starting thediagnosis may not be provided.

FIG. 9 illustrates a diagram showing a procedure for the diagnosis,which will be described as follows. Since the diagnosis procedure may bethe same with a monitoring procedure to be described later, themonitoring procedure is shown in FIG. 9, altogether.

1. Diagnosis/Monitoring Setting Request: The manager (Or the user)requests conditions and starting of running of the diagnosis/monitoringby using a management frame at the diagnosis server.

2. Work Registration and Notification Request: The management serverrequests the DM server to request the condition and the starting ofrunning and requests notification of the same for making thediagnosis/monitoring.

3. Notification Request: The DM Server requests the Notify server tonotify the terminal.

4. Notification Message Transmission: The Notify Server transmits thenotification message to the terminal.

5. Diagnosis/Monitoring Setting: The DM Server requests the conditionsand the starting of running for making diagnosis/monitoring to the DMclient.

6. Diagnosis/Monitoring Result Notification/Referring to Data: Uponfinishing the diagnosis/monitoring, the DM client (DiagMonAgent) at theterminal notifies (Alert message) the DM server of a result of thediagnosis/monitoring.

The starting main body of the diagnosis/monitoring management may be theDM server or the user, the DM session mode may be a Background.

If the DM server is the starting main body, the DM client starts thediagnosis/monitoring upon reception of the Notification Message from theDM server. And, if the user is the starting main body, the user startsthe diagnosis/monitoring on the frame of the home appliance, and thehome appliance runs the DM client after finishing thediagnosis/monitoring.

In the meantime, another mode of embodiment for carrying out thediagnosis will be described. The embodiment is related to user'stransmission of operation sound or diagnosis sound to the server. For anexample, the user may transmit the operation sound generated when thehome appliance is in operation or the diagnosis sound for diagnosing thehome appliance to the server system through the mobile communicationterminal. The server system analyzes the operation sound or thediagnosis sound to diagnose the home appliance. The user may embody thetransmission of the operation sound or the diagnosis sound to the serversystem in a variety of methods. For an example, when the user makestelephone call to the service center, and transmits the operation soundor the diagnosis sound of the home appliance through a receiver of themobile communication terminal, the service center may transmit theoperation sound or the diagnosis sound to the server.

The service center may be provided with an ARS system for automatictransmission of the operation sound or the diagnosis sound. The user mayuse a mobile communication terminal (For an example, the smart phone)having a diagnosis program installed thereto. That is, it may bepossible to transmit the diagnosis sound to the server by using adiagnosis program installed to the mobile communication terminal. Inthis instance, the diagnosis sound may be transmitted to the serverdirectly, or the user site may transmit the diagnosis sound to theserver upon reception of the diagnosis sound from the user.

The server system may have a program for carrying out analysis anddiagnosing the operation sound. The program may analyze the diagnosissound data to convert the data into an error code or state information.The server system may transmit a result of such diagnosis to the mobilecommunication terminal of the user or the home appliance.

(7) Monitoring

Monitoring is a service related to monitoring of the home appliance.Upon reception of monitoring request, the home appliance may transmit amonitoring data to the server system.

For an example, upon requesting the washing machine for the monitoringdata, the washing machine runs the monitoring program to collect themonitoring data, and transmits the same to the server. In this instance,the monitoring data may include information on a monitoring order runtime period, and a monitoring data produced time period. And, it may bemade that, if there is the monitoring run request, the monitoring datais transmitted repeatedly once the monitoring is started.

In a case of the refrigerator, whether the refrigerator is in theexpress freezing state or not, a Hygiene state (For an example, whetherthe hygiene state is turned on or off), a refrigerator operation mode, adispenser state, an error state, a door open/closure state may beincluded to monitoring items. In a case of the washing machine, anoperation state, a remaining time period of a course under operation, aninitial set time period, a kind of washing course, a rinsing level, aspinning RPM, a set temperature for carrying out the course, and ascheduled operation time period may be included to the monitoring items.

The monitoring service may be requested through the smart phone, andreferring to a result of the request may be possible.

The open API interface for monitoring may be designed to provide bothstarting and finishing interfaces.

The monitoring procedure may be as shown in FIG. 9.

Thus, an embodiment of a home appliance and an online system includingthe same which can embody the present invention have been described withreference to FIGS. 2 to 9.

A home appliance communication connection method and a configuration forthis will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 10, in detail.

The home appliance 20 is required to communicate with the server 10,ultimately. For this, the home appliance 20 is required to communicatewith an AP 30 in a home at first. Therefore, the home appliance 20 isrequired to have the communication module mounted or connected thereto.In detail, the communication module may be a WiFi communication module25.

At first, power is applied to the home appliance 20 through a powerselection unit 140 at the control panel 100 of the home appliance 20. Inthis instance, the power is applied to the WiFi communication module 25,too.

Referring to FIG. 1, many of the home appliances have no interface forreceiving a character, or no display unit for displaying a variety ofmodes of frames provided thereon. Therefore, it is not easy to make thehome appliance 20 to be able to communicate with the AP 30. Forcommunication connection of such a home appliance, it is preferable thatthe WiFi communication module 25 is made to support a setting mode forthe communication connection and a use mode which enables communication.In order to make the WiFi communication module 25 to be in thecommunication connection, the WiFi communication module 25 is requiredto carry out the setting mode, and if the WiFi communication module 25is communication connected in the setting mode, the WiFi communicationmodule 25 is changed to the use mode. Therefore, for making thecommunication connection, at first, the setting mode of the WiFicommunication module 25 is put into operation.

In this instance, the setting mode is a mode in which communication withthe AP is possible. Therefore, the setting mode may be called as an APmode. And, the use mode is a state in which the home appliance cancommunicate with the server through the AP, enablingtransmission/reception of information for carrying out the remotemanagement service whenever required. That is, the use mode is a standbystate for carrying out the remote management service. Accordingly, theuse mode may be called as a connection mode or a standby mode.

For running the setting mode, input means may be provided to the WiFicommunication module 25. However, in many cases, the WiFi communicationmodule 25 will be mounted to an inside of the home appliance 20.Therefore, the input means may be provided to the home appliance.

However, referring to FIG. 1, it is not easy to provide the input meansto the control panel 100 only for such a function. This is becauseprovision of input means only for selection a particular function maynot be required for mass production. And, this is because the carryingout the remote management service through the communication connectionmay not be an original function of the home appliance, but an additionalfunction of the home appliance, i.e., an option which may be added ifnecessary. Therefore, it is preferable that the setting mode is operatedby user's selection of a particular input unit among input meansprovided, already.

For an example, the control panel 100 may be provided with a scheduledoperation button 123. The user may select a washing course finishingtime point while pressing down the scheduled operation button 123. Foran example, the scheduled operation button 123 may be selected to finishthe washing course after four hours. The control unit (For an example,the main board shown in FIG. 3) of the washing machine may controloperation of the washing machine such that, if a washing course takestwo hours, the operation stops for two hours, and, after the two hoursare passed, the washing course is carried out.

The scheduled operation button may have a frequency of use lower thanother input units. Therefore, it may be preferable to make the settingmode operable with the scheduled operation button. In this instance, aninput method to the scheduled operation button is required to bedifferent. For an example, a pressing time period on the scheduledoperation button may be made different to make an original scheduledoperation function selection and a setting mode operation selectiondifferent from each other. That is, functions different from each otheris made to be selected depending on a button pressing time period byusing one button.

In the meantime, the scheduled operation button may have words of, not“Scheduled Operation, but “Smart Scheduled Operation” indicated thereon,for indicating that the remote management service can be used by usingthis button, clearly. That is, the user can understand that the “SmartScheduled Operation” implies that the remote management service can becarried out besides a simple scheduled wash finish time period setting,easily. After selection of the Smart Scheduled Operation, a remotecontrol, such as change of scheduled operation time period, may becarried out through the external terminal as described, later.

As described before, by selection of a particular input unit, for anexample, by pressing down the scheduled operation button for more than 3seconds, the WiFi communication module can be operated in the settingmode. However, separate setting means, for an example, means fordisplaying or inputting network information connectable to the userinformation, and the like may be provided to the home appliance 20.

Therefore, it is preferable that the setting mode is accessible throughthe external terminal. In this instance, it is preferable that theexternal terminal is a device including the WiFi communication module,character input means, display means, a CPU, OS, and a storage means. Asan example, the external terminal may be the notebook or the smartphone.

It may be said that, instead of the WiFi communication module or thehome appliance, the external terminal is provided to make the WiFicommunication module to access to the AP 30. Therefore, in the settingmode, SSID (Service Set IDentifier; a wireless LAN) information on anaccesser point (AP) 30, and user information for registration of thehome appliance are received through the external terminal.

The external terminal has accessible SSIDs indicated thereon, and theuser selects an SSID which can be connected continuously, for anexample, an SSID used in a home. In this instance, if the wireless LANhas security set thereto, the external terminal is required to selectthe SSID as well as input a password thereof. Therefore, the SSIDinformation may include an SSID password.

Upon reception of the user information and the SSID information, theWiFi communication module is changed to a use mode. In this instance, itis preferable that the user information and the SSID information isstored in the communication module automatically at the time thecommunication module receives the user information and the SSIDinformation. According to this, the communication module can makecontinuous communication without an additional setting mode operation,thereafter. That is, the communication module can access to the APautomatically in the use mode with the information. According to this,the home appliance 20 can have wireless LAN communication with theparticular AP 30. That is, a short range communication is madeavailable.

In the meantime, the communication module has an address of the server10 the communication module intends to access. In this instance, it ispreferable that the server address is a fixed IP. According to this, inthe use mode, the home appliance 20 can communicate with the server 10through the AP 30. Accordingly, at the time of change to the use mode,the user information and the product information stored in the homeappliance already is registered to the server 10 through the AP,automatically.

In this instance, the user information may be information stored in theserver 10 through the user site described before, already. Accordingly,the server 10 compares the user information and the product informationalready stored therein through the user site 60 to the informationreceived at the time of use mode change, and stores the same therein.With this, the server 10 perceives the particular user and theparticular home appliance. Especially, the server 10 perceives aposition of the particular home appliance.

In the meantime, the WiFi communication module 25 has a fixed addressfor the setting mode operation. By inputting the fixed address, theexternal terminal 40, such as the smart phone or the notebook, canaccess to the setting mode. That is, the external terminal 40 can accessto a web of the setting mode of a WiFi setting modem in the homeappliance. The fixed address may be assigned in a form of 192.1.xx.xx.The access to the setting mode by the external terminal 40 implies thatthe input means and the display means of the communication module 25 canbe extended by using the external terminal 40.

Upon access to the web in the setting mode, a product registration page(For an example, FIG. 13) is displayed, and the user can register theproduct to the server by inputting required information through theproduct registration page.

Therefore, the user can change the communication module 25 from thesetting mode to the use mode through the external terminal 40, easily.It implies that this can be achieved without addition of an extra inputunit or display unit to the home appliance 20 or modification thereof.And, the use of the external terminal 40 provided separately can preventa price of the home appliance from rising.

Referring to FIG. 1, the home appliance 20 may include a stateindicating unit 130. Accordingly, through the state indicating unit 130,access to the setting mode and change of the use mode can be carriedout, easily. This will be described.

Upon pressing the power selection unit 140, the state indicating unit130 may display guiding words for selection of a washing course as shownin FIG. 11. That is, the home appliance displays guiding wordsrequesting for a user's selection. Of course, such guiding words displaymay be words initially displayed upon application of power.

Then, it is preferable that, upon putting the setting mode intooperation, the state indicating unit 130 indicates that the WiFi settingmode is under operation. As described before, operation of the settingmode may be carried out by selection of a particular selection unit. Foran example, by pressing the smart scheduled operation button 123 morethan 3 seconds, the setting mode can be put into operation. The user cannotice that an operation matched to an order is carried out through thestate indicating unit 130, evidently.

And, it is preferable that at least one of the fixed address for accessto the setting mode and information on the SSID to be connected isindicated at the state indicating unit 130 in the setting mode.Therefore, the user may input the fixed address to the external terminaleasily or access to the SSID of the communication module.

An example of a frame accessed to the setting mode by inputting thefixed address to the external terminal 40 is shown in FIG. 13. FIG. 13shows the frame having spaces for inputting the SSID information (AnSSID name and/or an SSID password) intended to access, and spaces forinputting a user ID and a password.

The user ID and the password may be information set already through theuser site 60 described before. Therefore, if such information isregistered, the home appliance 20 can be registered to the server 10.

In this instance, it is preferable that the external terminal 40 canaccess to the web page of the setting mode only when the setting mode ofthe home appliance 20 is in an activated state. This is for making thehome appliance the user intends to connect to server is the same withthe home appliance to be connected to the server, actually.

In detail, as the smart phone inputs the fixed address of thecommunication module in the home appliance 20 in a state the settingmode of the home appliance 20 is activated, the communication connectionbetween the smart phone and the home appliance can be made to eachother. Accordingly, the home appliance can receive user AP informationto be connected to the user information through the smart phone, andthrough this, can be connected to the AP. If the home appliance isconnected to the AP, the home appliance is changed to the user mode. Inthis instance, the home appliance is registered to the server normallythrough the certification procedure by the server or the user site.

And, in the state the setting mode of the home appliance 20 isactivated, the smart phone can access to the communication module in thehome appliance 20, directly. That is, access to the SSID shown in FIG.12 through the smart phone will be possible. In other words, connectionof the smart phone to the WiFi network (For an example, abcd shown inFIG. 12) of the communication module in the home appliance 20 ispossible. Upon the WiFi connection between the smart phone and the homeappliance, the frame shown in FIG. 13, i.e., the setting mode web pageis displayed on the smart phone, through which connection of the homeappliance to the user AP in the home may be possible, actually.

In the meantime, upon inputting the fixed address to the externalterminal 40 or inputting the user information and the AP informationafter the external terminal 40 accesses to the WiFi network of the homeappliance 20, a frame, for an example, as shown in FIG. 14, will bedisplayed on the state indicating unit 130. The home appliance,specifically, the WiFi communication module 25, will try access to theuser AP with the information received through the smart phone.Therefore, it is preferable that the state indicating unit 130 indicatesinformation that the WiFi is under setting.

Under such WiFi setting, the home appliance 20 may carry out mutualcertification procedure with the server or the user site. Therefore, itmay be said that, upon finishing the WiFi setting, the home appliance isin a state the home appliance is registered to the server, directly, orthrough the user site.

Upon finishing the WiFi setting mode, the frame shown in FIG. 14 may bechanged to a frame shown in FIG. 15, as an example. That is, informationthat the WiFi setting is finished is indicated, and along with this, aWiFi icon may be displayed. The WiFi icon may be kept displayedthereafter while the communication connection is done.

Through such steps, the user can register the home appliance to theserver, and can connect the home appliance to the server through the AP,easily.

If the setting time period, for an example, the three seconds, ispassed, the frame in FIG. 15 changes to the initial frame, i.e., theframe in FIG. 11. Of course, the WiFi icon is added to the frame in FIG.11, indicating that the WiFi is under connection.

By such characteristics of the state indicating unit 130 and the WiFicommunication module in the home appliance, since the user can registerthe home appliance to the server 10, easily and quickly, the user canuse the management service, later.

In the meantime, the external terminal 40 is used, not only assupplementary means for the communication connection of the homeappliance, but also enables easy use of the management service for thehome appliance. Alikely, this is because the extended input means anddisplay means of the external terminal 40 can be utilized.

For this, the external terminal 40 may be provided with an applicationfor requesting and carrying out at least one of the remote control, theremote diagnosis, the firmware or software update, and the monitoring ofthe home appliance 20.

The external terminal 40 transmits the user information to the server atan initial running of the application, and communicates with the homeappliance of the user, to make the service requested by the homeappliance to be carried out. In the meantime, the application canindicate products of which management service is possible, and may beprovided such that products the user actually has are selected from theproducts. If the user's product is not registered to the server, theproduct may be registered to the server through the application, whichmay replace the WiFi communication module carrying out the setting modedescribed before.

Carrying out the management service, particularly the remote control,with the application will be described, in detail.

Upon running the application, as an example, a frame shown in FIG. 16may be displayed on the external terminal 40. If the user presses thesmart remote control thereon, as an example, a frame as shown in FIG. 17is displayed to log in the server. The user can access to the server byselecting a country (A server selection), and inputting the user ID andpassword.

In this instance, the server selection may be indicated only in a caseone of a plurality of servers is selected. Along with this, theselection of the server may be indicated for selection of a language tobe used.

The log-in frame may be displayed in a case of initial log-in, and thelog-in frame may be displayed automatically, thereafter. However, sinceother person may run the application freely, it is preferable thatlog-in is made upon reception of at least the user password every timethe application is run.

After log-in, the server determines whether the user is registered ornot. If not, the external terminal may display the user site to requestregistration, or may be connected to the user site, directly. Of course,such display of the user site may also be displayed on the log-in frame.

If the user is registered, the server will know whether the user's homeappliances are registered or not. Therefore, the external terminal willdisplay the home appliances registered thus if any. If the registeredhome appliances are plural, the user may select a particular one of thehome appliances for having service provided thereto. Then, the user mayrequest the management service for the particular product through theapplication.

In the meantime, if the user's home appliance is not registered to theserver, by selecting a product registration method shown in FIG. 17, theuser may register the home appliance to the server. Therefore, theserver determines whether the user's home appliance is registered or notwhen the user logs in.

Even in a case the user's home appliance is not registered to theserver, such information may be indicated, and the user may register thehome appliance easily by selecting the product registration method shownin FIG. 17 and carrying out a registration procedure. The registrationmethod is the same with one described before.

The application may be one for a particular product group, for anexample, the laundry machine (The washing machine, the dryer, therefresher, and so on), or, a particular product, for an example, thewashing machine. Therefore, the user's running of the applicationimplies a service request for the particular product group or theparticular product. Therefore, the user's running of the applicationimplies inputting of user information on the particular product group orthe particular product to log-in the server. Therefore, after thelog-in, the server determines whether the home appliance is registeredtogether with the user information or not.

After the user log-in, if the product related to the application is notregistered, no product is indicated as shown in FIG. 18 as an example.Therefore, through the frame, the product registration is possible.

The user's selection of the product registration method shown in FIG. 17or 18 implies user's access to the home appliance setting mode describedbefore. That is, the user's selection of the product registration methodimplies that the application accesses to the fixed address of thesetting mode of the WiFi communication module in each of the homeappliances. Matters related to the external terminal and the stateindicating unit 130 in the home appliance may be the same with mattersdescribed with reference to FIGS. 10 to 15.

In the meantime, things important at the time registration of theproduct to the server are making the server to know the product is whoseand where. Therefore, at the time of the product registration, it isrequired to transmit the user information to the server, as well asinformation on the AP address. It may be said that the access to thesetting mode of the WiFi communication module described before is formatching the user information to the product. Therefore, there is nonecessity of signal transmission/reception between the external terminaland the home appliance.

For an example, by operating the setting mode, the home appliance canfind the user AP for itself. And, the AP information, the home applianceinformation (For an example, whether the home appliance is the washingmachine or not), and the user information can be transmitted to theserver or the fixed address site through the external terminal.Therefore, the server can understand that the home appliance intendingto connect to the particular AP is whose home appliance, and what kindof home appliance from such information. And, the user information maybe transmitted to the communication module and stored therein.

With this, protocol setting or addition of hardware for signaltransmission/reception between the communication module in the homeappliance and the external terminal is not required. Therefore, the homeappliance can be registered to the server without addition of expense.

Of course, as described before, it may also possible that thecommunication module in the home appliance 20 is made to have one sidedreception of the signal through the smart phone. That is, thecommunication module receives the user information and the user APinformation through the smart phone simply, and, by using this, thecommunication module may be connected to the server through the smartphone, too Alikely, even in this case too, the protocol setting oraddition of hardware for signal transmission/reception between thecommunication module and the external terminal is not required.

It implies that the home appliance 20 is not controlled remotely throughthe smart phone directly by direct communication of the home appliance20 with the smart phone. That is, it implies that the smart phonecommunicates with the server, but not with the home appliance, directly.In other words, it implies that the remote management service is madethrough the server. With this, since the home appliance 20 does notrequire means for communication with the external terminal, such as thesmart phone, price increase of the home appliance can be limited. And,the server can make various user career management, user informationaccumulation and renewal, and user taste analysis. Accordingly, ordermade service can be provided, and the information can be used in avariety of forms.

The user is made possible to register the home appliance to the servermore easily by using the application. And, a variety of the managementservices described before may be carried out by using the application.

Up to now, methods or procedures for registering the user and the homeappliance to the server, and characteristics of the home appliance andcharacteristics of the online service for above have been described indetail.

Embodiment for embodying the online service for the home appliance byusing the external terminal after the user and the home appliance areregistered to the server will be described, in detail. Particularly,embodiment on the remote control of the washing machine will bedescribed, in detail.

If it is intended to make description easy, the remote control impliescontrolling the operation and the like of the washing machine with theapplication at the external terminal, such as the smart phone. In orderto make it easy, the server is provided between the smart phone and thewashing machine.

In a case of the washing machine, unconditionally possible remotecontrol is not desirable. This is because the remote control ismeaningless in a case the washing machine is not ready to operate, suchas a case a door on the washing machine is opened, a case no detergentis introduced to the washing machine, and so on.

Therefore, in order to make the remote control possible selectively, thewashing machine may be provided with a remote control selection unit. Ifremote control is selected, such information may be transmitted to theserver. Of course, if the user requests the state information on thewashing machine through the application, the user may receive theinformation from the server.

The remote control selection unit may be the scheduled operationselection unit 123 shown in FIG. 1, in more detail, the smart scheduledoperation selection unit 123. In order to activate the scheduledoperation selection unit 123, i.e., to carry out the scheduledoperation, it is required to select an operation button 150. Therefore,it is preferable that the remote control is possible through theexternal terminal only if the remote control is activated at the washingmachine.

The remote control activation at the washing machine can be made byscheduled operation function selection at the scheduled operationselection unit 123 and selection of the operation button 150.

As described with reference to FIGS. 16 and 17, the user can log-in theserver by transmitting the user information to the server through theexternal terminal. If the application is for remote control of a servicefor a particular product, for an example, the washing machine, the userinformation and the washing machine information will be received at theserver in a log-in step.

If the application is for services for a plurality of products, only theuser information will be received at the server in the log-in step. Asthe user selects a particular product after the log-in step, informationon the particular product will be received at the server. If a serviceobjective product is selected after completion of, or after, the log-in,the user can request the service for the objective product.

The user requests the state information on the washing machine to theserver. A frame of the external terminal for the request is shown inFIG. 16. That is, by selecting the smart remote control indicated on theexternal terminal, the user can request the server for the stateinformation on the washing machine.

The server determines a washing machine matched to the user informationand the washing machine information. That is, the server determines thepresent AP the washing machine is in access thereto. And, the serverrequests the state information to the washing machine.

In response to the request, the washing machine transmits the stateinformation to the server, and the server transmits the stateinformation received thus to the external terminal. The externalterminal receives and displays the state information.

The state information may include whether power of the washing machineis turned on or not. FIGS. 19 and 20 illustrate examples which indicatea case of power turn on and a case the power turn off on the externalterminal, respectively.

Referring to FIG. 19, the user may turn off power of the washing machineby selecting the power selection unit. However, as shown in FIG. 20, ifthe power of the washing machine is turned off, the remote controlfunction is not carried out, and it is preferable that this isindicated. Since the remote control function is not carried out, thepower of the washing machine can not be turned on.

In the meantime, referring to FIG. 19, if only a power turn on state isindicated, the washing machine is in a state only the power is turned onwhile the washing machine does not make any operation. The washingmachine is configured to turn off the power automatically when selectedoperation is finished. Therefore, the state only the power is turned onmay be a case the operation button is not selected yet after the poweris turned on for selecting a washing course or the like. Therefore, inthis case, it is preferable that the washing machine is configured suchthat power thereof can be turned off by the remote control in a stateonly the power is simply turned on.

In this instance, the turning off of the power through the externalterminal may also be one of the remote controls. Therefore, in the stateonly the power is turned on simply, it can be made that the turning offof the power is not possible. That is, it can be made that onlymonitoring of the present state is possible, simply.

Alikely, the washing machine may be configured to be able to monitorwhether the present state of the washing machine is under a washingcourse, or under a washing cycle, a rinsing cycle, spinning cycle, ordrying cycle in the washing course through the external terminal. Thiscase may be a case the remote control activation described before is notmade.

That is, if the remote control activation of the washing machine is notmade, the external terminal may be configured to be able to monitor thepresent state of the washing machine only, but can not make the remotecontrol. In other words, the external terminal may be configured suchthat remote operation or control of hardware for carrying out basicfunctions of the washing machine, for an example, hardware related todrum drive, water supply, or the like, is not possible.

In the meantime, alikely, if the remote control activation of thewashing machine is made, the external terminal may be configured to beable to monitor the present state of the washing machine as well as tocarry out remote operation or control. Therefore, it is preferable thatthe server receives the remote control activation information of thewashing machine from the washing machine.

If the server can not receive such information because the remotecontrol activation of the washing machine is not made, the user can notremote control the washing machine through the external terminal. Ofcourse, this fact may be indicated on the external terminal orindication on the remote control may not be indicated on the externalterminal.

As described before, the remote control activation may be made of asmart scheduled operation input and operation input. A state of thewashing machine thereafter will be any one of a standby state forcarrying out a scheduled operation course, a course carrying out state,or a course finish state. Of course, the state of the washing machinethereafter may be a crumple preventive state to be described later afterfinish of the course. And, the state of the washing machine thereaftermay be a power turned off state after the course finish or the crumpleprevention finish. In more detail, a course carrying out state mayinclude under a washing cycle, under a rinsing cycle, and under aspinning cycle, and may further include under a drying cycle.

Accordingly, if the remote control is activated in the states of thewashing machine described before excluding a case the power turn off,the user can carry out a variety of modes of the remote control throughthe external terminal.

FIG. 21 illustrates a diagram showing an example of indication on theexternal terminal when washing machine is in a scheduled operationstate, wherein the indication may include at least one of a remainedtime period until operation finishes, a selected washing course,detailed option of the selected course, and a scheduled operation timeperiod change selection unit.

In this instance, the scheduled operation state, i.e., the underscheduled operation, implies that the washing will be finished when aset time period passes from now, i.e., when an indicated time passes,meaning that the washing is not carried out, presently.

FIG. 22 illustrates a diagram showing the state indicating unit 130 inthe washing machine matching to the indication on the external terminalin FIG. 21. Alikely, the state indicating unit 130 may indicate that thewashing machine is under scheduled operation, the remained time period,and detailed options.

If the washing machine is under scheduled operation, the user may changea scheduled operation time period through the external terminal. Thatis, by pressing the scheduled operation time period change shown in FIG.21, the user can change the scheduled operation time period. Of course,this is under the assumption that the remote control activation ispossible. As described before, this is because the scheduled operationstate is under the assumption that the remote control activation ispossible.

When the washing machine is under the scheduled operation, the detailedoption of the scheduled washing course, i.e., a detailed value of theset course, may be checked or changed, and power of the washing machinemay be turned off.

FIG. 23 illustrates a diagram showing an example of a popup windowdisplayed if the scheduled operation time period change is selected. Theuser may change the scheduled operation time period through the popupwindow, as necessary. If the scheduled operation time period change isnoticed, or cancelled, the popup window will disappear and will turn tothe frame shown in FIG. 21. In this instance, a remained time perioduntil finishing of the washing will be indicated as a changed timeperiod. That is, if three hours is changed to four hours, the threehours in FIG. 21 will be changed to four hours.

FIG. 24 illustrates a diagram showing an example of the state indicatingunit 130 in a case the scheduled operation time period is changedthrough the external terminal. In this case, information on thescheduled operation time period change and information on the remainedtime period is displayed. Thereafter, if a set time period passes (Foran example, three seconds), the frame of FIG. 24 changes to the frame ofFIG. 22. Of course, the frame will indicate the remained time period offour hours changed thus from three hours.

FIG. 25 illustrates a diagram showing an example of a frame displayed atthe external terminal while the washing machine is in operation, whereinthe external terminal may indicate at least one of a remained timeperiod until operation finish, indication of detailed cycle progress,and detailed option of the set course. That is, the frame may be a framedisplayed if the scheduled operation is selected, and a scheduledwashing course is being carried out. In detail, the frame may displaythe selected course, as well as a detail cycle in the course, i.e.,whether the washing machine is under washing or rinsing.

FIG. 26 illustrates a diagram showing an example of a frame of the stateindicating unit 130 in the washing machine matching to the frame in FIG.25. The frame may indicate a remained time period until course finish,an extent of progress of an entire course. Along with this, the framemay indicate whether the washing machine is under washing, rinsing, orspinning. Of course, the frame may also indicate whether the washingmachine is under drying.

In the meantime, the user may select the crumple preventive functionthrough the external terminal during operation of the washing machine,i.e., before finishing the course. That is, by selecting the crumpleprevention indicated on the frame in FIG. 25, the user may select thewashing machine to carry out the crumple preventive function.

The crumple preventive function is a function for driving the drum afterfinishing the course to prevent the crumple from forming at the laundry.If the washing or rinsing is finished, the laundry in the drum ispressed down on a bottom of the drum due to gravity of the laundry.Particularly, if the washing is finished, the laundry has moistureremained therein, which is liable to cause the laundry to form thecrumple by a load of the laundry, particularly when the laundry isentangled.

Accordingly, consistent and periodic or intermittent driving of the drumis required for crumple prevention.

The dryer, or a washing and drying machine can supply cold air to thelaundry. Therefore, consistent and periodic or intermittent supply ofthe cold air may also be viable.

The crumple preventive function is effective in a case the laundry isleft for a long time period in the drum after finishing the course.Therefore, the crumple preventive function can be selected and carriedout only through the external terminal. That is, the control panel atthe washing machine, the dryer, or the washing and drying machine maynot be provided with the selection unit for selecting such a function.This is because it is less liable that the laundry is left in the drumfor a long time period if the user handles the control panel to carryout the washing.

Therefore, it is preferable that, if the user makes a scheduled washingoperation during the user is out or attends to his (her) office, i.e.,only if the remote control is activated, the function is selectedthrough the external terminal.

Referring to FIG. 25, by selecting the crumple preventive functionindicated on the external terminal, the user can select the crumplepreventive function. It is preferable that a time period required forcarrying out the crumple prevention is inputted in default. For anexample, the time period is set to be four hours in advance. This isbecause the laundry is liable to be left for a long time period the sameas before if the time period is set only to be short. And, the crumplepreventive function can be cancelled if the user presses any button atthe washing machine if the time period is set to be long.

For an example, referring to FIG. 25, if an hour and fifty minutes isremained until finish of the washing, and three hours is remained untilthe user arrives at home, the user can select the crumple preventivefunction. Therefore, since the crumple preventive function has beencarried out even if the user arrives at home after five hours, and theuser can stop operation of the washing machine by pressing any button.

FIG. 27 illustrates a diagram showing an example of an indication stateof the state indicating unit in the washing machine if the crumplepreventive function is selected at a frame of the external terminalshown in FIG. 25, indicating that the crumple preventive function isselected instead of the information of under washing at a prior frameshown in FIG. 26. And, a time period the crumple preventive function isfinished may be indicated. Then, it is preferable that, after a set timeis passed, the frame is changed to the frame shown in FIG. 26, i.e., theprior frame.

FIG. 28 illustrates a diagram showing an example of the state indicatingunit in the washing machine if carrying out the course is finished. Ifno crumple preventive function is carried out, the power of the washingmachine will be turned off after a certain time period is passed.However, as shown in FIG. 29, if the crumple preventive function iscarried out, the frame may indicates that the crumple preventivefunction is being carried out. In order to make the user to understand apresent washing machine state more clearly, it may be possible that theframe shown in FIG. 28 and the frame shown in FIG. 29 may be displayedalternately for a predetermined time period.

Thus, an embodiment on user's active state information determination onthe home appliance, particularly, the laundry machine through theexternal terminal, has been described. That is, an embodiment has beendescribed, in which the user runs the application to determine a stateof the laundry machine by remote monitoring or remote control.

Different from the embodiment, active provision of the state informationon the laundry machine from the server or the laundry machine to theuser will be possible. That is, active provision of the stateinformation on the user's laundry machine to the user's externalterminal will be possible.

The server may have information including a telephone number of the userstored therein. Therefore, it may be possible that the server providesthe state information on the laundry machine to the user's externalterminal, such as the smart phone, in a mode of a message.

And, if the user's external terminal has the remote control applicationrunning therein, the external terminal, the server, and the laundrymachine are under communication with one another. Therefore, it may alsobe possible to provide the state information on the laundry machine fromthe application in a mode of a push message.

In this instance, it is not preferable to provide the state informationto the user every time the washing machine is operated. Therefore, it ispreferable that there is a certain limitation in providing theinformation. To do this, the remote control activation input meansdescribed before may be used. That is, it may be made possible that,only if the remote control activation input means is selected, theexternal terminal receives the state information on the laundry machine.The input means may be input means like a button provided to the homeappliance, separately. Of course, as described before, the input meansmay be an operation button, like the scheduled operation button, if thehome appliance is the washing machine. Accordingly, as the remotecontrol activation is made to be inputted at the home appliance whichhas the remote control service directly provided thereto, malfunction,or over issue of information provision through the external terminal canbe prevented in advance.

For an example, a situation may take place, in which the washing machineis remotely controlled through the external terminal from an outside ofthe home and the washing machine is directly operated at the home. Thatis, it is liable that the same washing machine may be subjected to aplurality of control manipulation. In order to prevent this, the remotecontrol activation input is required. That is, such activation impliesthat the remote control will be made at least through the externalterminal.

As an example, in a situation both members of a couple leave the officelate, if both of the members set scheduled washing operation at theiroffice leaving times, a scheduled operation time period may be changedby the remote control. In this instance, it is possible to carry out thewashing at once after cancelling the scheduled operation at once if oneof the members leaves the office earlier than expected. This is becausethis case does not require the remote control.

Since the home appliance, like the washing machine, is not in operationalways, it is preferable that the operation button is included to theactivation input means. However, the home appliance which is inoperation always, like the refrigerator, may have the remote controlactivation set thereto through one input button or input means.According to this, in many cases, the home appliance, like therefrigerator, is in a state the remote control activation is selected.

The push message may be provided until finish of the washing or finishof the crumple prevention at preset time intervals. Of course, the pushmessage will provide updated state information on the laundry machine.

The state information on the laundry machine may include any one pieceof information on starting of carrying out the washing course, onfinishing of carrying out the washing course, on the crumple preventivefunction carried out after the finishing the carrying out of the course.

The information on starting of carrying out the washing course mayinclude any one piece of information that the washing will be startedafter a particular time period is passed, and information that thewashing is started. And, the information on the crumple preventivefunction may include any one of information that the crumple preventivefunction is starting after finishing the washing, and information thatthe crumple preventive function is finished.

The state information on the laundry machine may include information onwhich cycle is being carried out among washing, rinsing, spinning, anddrying in the present course being carried out, in detail.

FIG. 30 illustrates a diagram showing an example of a frame provided ina push message during the external terminal runs the application. Indetail, the push message is one informing that the crumple prevention isbeing carried out as the washing is finished. The push message may beprovided in a mode of a popup window, and upon pressing a notice button,the popup window may be closed.

In the meantime, it is possible that the state information on thelaundry machine is owned, not only by the user, but also by personsrelated to the user, in common. That is, it is possible to own theinformation by using SNS (Social Network Service).

The server may have user information including user's SNS accountinformation, and information on the laundry machine. Through the usersite or the external terminal described before, the server may have theinformation stored therein. Therefore, if necessary, the laundry machineor the server may provide the state information on the laundry machineto the user's SNS account Alikely, such provision of information can bemade on the assumption of inputting the remote control activation inputmeans as described before.

In the meantime, as described before, on the assumption of inputting theremote control activation input means, the user can control the laundrymachine remotely through the external terminal. For an example, theprovision of information through the SNS may be different from a casethe user does not make separate remote control, to a case the user makesthe remote control after the inputting the remote control activation.

For an example, the user may change the scheduled operation time periodor select the crumple preventive function through the external terminal.Therefore, the server can provide remote control information to the SNSaccount of the user only if such an example of remote control is carriedout.

If the user changes the scheduled operation time period through theexternal terminal, the server may register that the scheduled operationtime period of the washing machine is changed through the smart phone tothe user's SNS account. According to this, the persons related to theuser may own the information through the SNS, in common.

Eventually, since a smart phone function for selection of the crumplepreventive function or changing the scheduled operation time periodthrough the external terminal can be owned in common, productsatisfaction can be enhanced, significantly.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in the present inventionwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it isintended that the present invention cover the modifications andvariations of this invention provided they come within the scope of theappended claims and their equivalents.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

Described in the Detailed Description of the Present Invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A home appliance provided to enablecommunication with a server, comprising: a WiFi communication modulemounted or connected to the home appliance and configured to support asetting mode for establishing a communication connection and a use modefor communicating with the server using the communication connection;and an input component configured to initiate the setting mode based onreceiving a prescribed user selection, wherein the home appliance isaccessed during the setting mode by an external terminal providedseparate from the home appliance and is changed from the setting mode tothe use mode upon reception of service set identifier (SSID) informationof an access point (AP) from the external terminal and user informationfor registration of the home appliance to the server from the externalterminal.
 2. The home appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecommunication module is further configured to store the received SSIDinformation.
 3. The home appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecommunication module accesses to the AP by using the SSID information.4. The home appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the SSIDinformation includes a password of a wireless local area network (LAN)associated with the AP.
 5. The home appliance as claimed in claim 1,wherein the input component is provided in a control panel of the homeappliance.
 6. The home appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein, theparticular input unit is configured to provide a first input method fora selection of a prescribed function of the home appliance and a secondinput method, different from the first input method for the selection ofthe prescribed function, for initiating the setting mode.
 7. The homeappliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein access by the external terminalto the setting mode of the communication module is made through a fixedaddress of the communication module or access to a WiFi network of thecommunication module.
 8. The home appliance as claimed in claim 7,wherein the communication module stores a server address for connectionto a particular server through the AP when in the use mode.
 9. The homeappliance as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a display indicatingthe fixed address of the communication module or information on the WiFinetwork during the setting mode.
 10. The home appliance as claimed inclaim 8, further comprising a display presenting a WiFi icon if thesetting mode is changed to the use mode from the setting mode.
 11. Thehome appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the display indicates astate of the home appliance.
 12. The home appliance as claimed in claim1, wherein the external terminal exchanges the user information with theserver to register the external terminal with the server, wherein thehome appliance forwards registration information that includes the userinformation and home appliance information identifying the homeappliance via the AP, during the use mode to register the home appliancewith the server, and wherein the server associates the home applianceand the external terminal based on the registration information.
 13. Anonline system comprising: a server, and a home appliance provided toenable communication with the server and an external terminal providedseparate from the home appliance, wherein the home appliance includes: aWiFi communication module mounted or connected to the home appliance forsupporting a setting mode for establishing a communication connectionand a use mode for communicating with the server through thecommunication connection, and an input component to receive a user inputto initiate the setting mode, wherein the communication module isconfigured to be accessed by the external terminal during the settingmode and to change to the use mode upon reception of service setidentifier (SSID) information of an access point (AP) through theexternal terminal and user information for registration of the homeappliance to the server through the external terminal.
 14. The onlinesystem as claimed in claim 13, wherein the communication module has afixed address that is used by the external terminal to for access to thehome appliance during the setting mode and stores a server address forthe communication connection to the server through the AP in the usemode.
 15. The online system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the inputcomponent is not configured to receive an alphanumeric character input.16. The online system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the externalterminal includes a WiFi module to communicate with the communicationsmodule in the setting mode, a user input, a display, a central processorunit (CPU), an operating system (OS), and storage.
 17. The online systemas claimed in claim 13, wherein the external terminal executes anapplication for at least one of remote control, remote diagnosis,firmware or software update, or monitoring of the home appliance whenthe communications module is in the use mode.
 18. The online system asclaimed in claim 17, wherein the external terminal transmits the userinformation, home appliance information and request information to theserver, and the home appliance transmits an AP address, connectioninformation between the home appliance and the AP, the user information,and the home appliance information to the server, wherein the servermatches the home appliance to the external terminal based on thetransmitted information from the external terminal and the homeappliance and forwards the request information to the home appliance.19. A method for using an online system comprising: logging in a serverby inputting user information through an external terminal providedseparate from a home appliance; determining, based on the userinformation and home appliance information for the home appliance,whether the home appliance is registered with the server; entering aproduct registration mode if the home appliance is not registered; usinga prescribed address for access to a setting mode of the home applianceduring the product registration mode; inputting service set identifier(SSID) information of an access point (AP) and the user information tothe home appliance during the setting mode through the externalterminal, the home appliance registering the user information and thehome appliance information to the server, to register the home appliancewith the server through the AP; and when the home appliance isregistered to the server, carrying out at least one of remote control,remote diagnosis, firmware or software update, or monitoring of the homeappliance through the external terminal.
 20. A non-transitorycomputer-readable recording medium to store instructions, theinstructions causing a processor to perform a method for using an onlinesystem comprising: logging in a server by inputting user informationthrough an external terminal provided separate from a home appliance;determining, based on the user information and home applianceinformation for the home appliance, whether the home appliance isregistered with the server; entering a product registration mode if thehome appliance is not registered; using a prescribed address for accessto a setting mode of the home appliance during the product registrationmode; inputting service set identifier (SSID) information of an accesspoint (AP) and the user information to the home appliance during thesetting mode through the external terminal, the home applianceregistering the user information and the home appliance information tothe server, to register the home appliance with the server through theAP; and when the home appliance is registered to the server, carryingout at least one of remote control, remote diagnosis, firmware orsoftware update, or monitoring of the home appliance through theexternal terminal.